Entry requirements to be dropped for poorer Scottish students

In a bid to end elitism at top Scottish universities, proposals have been made to ensure that opportunities for poorer students are not hindered by their backgrounds.

The move hopes to reach a target of one fifth of students in universities coming from lower socio-economic families by 2030.

By using ‘access thresholds’, a set of standards separate from and lower than normal entry requirements, the Government hopes to encourage Scottish students who have not had the same privileges and opportunities as students from more middle-class backgrounds into further education.

With universities such as Glasgow and St Andrews already more lenient towards less privileged students, the proposal aims to balance this out at more Scottish institutions. It also hopes to guarantee a place at a university for all applicants from the care system if they meet the separate admissions thresholds.

The proposal has come under fire from some, and has been slated as another extra burden on already over capacity universities. Others have praised it as a step forward in breaking down the obstacles faced by the less wealthy in pursuing further education and an active move towards a more equal education system.

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